Improvement in platform-scales



L. G. SPENCER.

Platform-Scale.

NQ. 203,563. Patented May I4, 1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

LUKE G. SPENCER, OF ST. JOHNSBUBY, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO E. & T.

FAIRBANKS da OO.,

OF SAME PLAGE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,563, dated May 14, 1878; application filed April 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUKE G. SPENCER, of St. Johnsbury, Caledonia county, Vermont, (assignor to E. 85 T. FAIEBANKS 85 OO., of same plaee,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platform-Scales, of which the following is a specication:

My improvement applies to the steelyardrod of hay or platform scales, which conveys the strain of the platform-levers to the steelyard or graduated scale-beam; and the object of the invention is to improve the construction of the stirrup at the lower end of the rod which receives the contact of the nose-iron pivots of the platform-levers.

My invention consists in the construction of the stirrup of two concentric semi-stirrups or pendulous hooks, each independently swiveled to the end of the rod, and having their supporting` ends arranged one within or above the other, in line with the rod, to receive the ends of the levers vertically, one above the other, in the same line with the rod.

In the drawings annexed, Figure l represents a front elevation of a steelyard-rod of a hay-scale provided with my improved stirrup at its lower end. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on line fr.

a. a represent the steelyard-rod, which is hooked at its upper end, as shown at b, in

-the usual manner, for connection with the steelyard or scale-beam. The lower end of the rod terminates in the stirrup A B, in the construction of which my invention consists.

d e represent the ends of the longer arms of the usual levers, generally two in number, which support the weight of the platform, and which are sustained on the stirrup to convey their strain to the steelyard or graduated beam of the scale.

The stirrup is formed of two concentric pendulous hooks, A B, each of which is swiveled independently to the end of the steelyard-rod a, as shown at c, so that each is thus capable of free articulation independently of the other. The hooks, as shown, are of different lengths, to admit of their being arranged concentric, or one within or above the other, the ends terminating in the lateral horizontal bends g It, arranged one above the other in the same line with the rod a, as shown. Upon these bends g h the ends of the platfornrlevers d e are supported, as shown, the bends being provided at the points of contact with the usual hemispherical socketsor recesses k l, to receive the nose-irons or conical pivots m ya on the ends of the levers, as represented.

O is a projecting tongue secured to one of the pendulous hooks, and closely approaching the upper lever d, thus forming a guard to prevent the lever rising out of place, while the position of the inner or upper hook A over the lower lever e forms a second guard to prevent the rising or displacement of 'the lower lever.

The invention is adapted more particularly for large platform-scales, such as hay-scales, 85o., but is applicable generally to platformscales.

By this construction it will be observed that the bearing-points of the platform-levers are brought in the same vertical line with each other and with the steelyard-rod, while each lever is capable of free articulation or movement in its connection with the rod independently of the other. This renders the action of the parts more easy and harmonious, and enables the weight of the platform to be conveyed more accurately to the beam, while the construction is light, simple, and inexpensive, and, on the whole, forms a material iinprovement over the form of stirrup heretofore employed.

-Wliat'l claim as my invention is- A stirrup for the steelyard-rod of platform scales, formed of two pendulous hooks, A B, each independently swiveled to the end of the rod, arranged concentric to each other, and adapted to receive the bearing-points of the platform-levers vertically, one above the other, in line with the rod, substantially as herein shown and described.

LUKE G. SPENCER.

Witnesses:

E. A. WALKER, E. D. BLonGErr. 

